More new features added with SCAL version 2.021 – Updated

Craft Edge has released an update for SCAL2 here.  Here are the changes:

1. The much asked for ability to export to svg files directly from SCAL. Files can also be exported as BMP and PNG.  All of these are found in the menu under File/Export.
2. You can now open multiple SCUT2 files in different pages of the same file.  I have more detail on this here.
3. The ability to use vector PDF files directly without needing to use another program to convert them to SVG first.
4. Automatic simplification that can be adjusted or disabled (available through the menu: Edit/Preferences/Edit tab).
5. Path Simplify has been added.  I have more detail on this here.
6. Adjustable grid with snapping option.  Snapping is available in the View menu and the grid can be adjusted there or in the Preferences/Grid tab.
7. More shapes have been added to the shapes library, including USA and a nice selection of flourishes (possibly music and symbols too, but I can’t remember for sure).  I also noticed new shapes in the basics shapes section.
8. Each shape is now placed on it’s own layer, and when shapes are Unioned the layers are automatically combined.  If shapes are Grouped, they are all placed in a folder with the layers underneath.  If a shape is deleted, it’s layer is also deleted.
9. Object/Merge has been added.  This is comparable to Path/Combine in Inkscape.  See this post for more information on this.
10. A deactivate option has been added to the Help menu.  Very useful if changing computers or compatibility mode.
11. The ability to move objects on the mat by clicking anywhere on them.  This was actually added in 2.013, but that version was removed from the download page after a day or two.
12. Fonts are now in alphabetical order, even fonts with lower case names.

The Font Thing and Windows 7 64 bit

I just switched from XP to Windows 7 64 bit, and discovered that my usual method of opening uninstalled fonts to use in Inkscape doesn’t work with Win7.  When I tried to install The Font Thing I got an error message and it wouldn’t install.  What is a font addict to do?  I found this solution and it works!  Go to The Font Thing website  here and then click on the Download tab.  Download the second link on the download page.  You want the one without the installer since you aren’t going to install the program.  Once you have the files downloaded, unzip them, then for ease of use I pinned the TFT.exe to the taskbar.  Just click on the pinned file to run the program.

When you click on the Browse tab, you might just get a question mark.  If you click on the refresh button it will change to your C drive and you can navigate to where  you have your uninstalled fonts stored.  Then you can preview or temporarily load your uninstalled fonts.  🙂  If you want to use TFT to install fonts, you will have to set it to run as an administrator before you open the program.

New vector creating and editing features in SCAL 2.010

Once again we have a great update that was likely driven by competition!  This update is just for Windows, but CE says that they will have an update for Macs soon.  This update added the ability to pause while cutting, two new sets of shapes to the shapes library, and several vector creating and editing options.  I’m going to talk about the vector creating and editing options here.  A new Path section was added to the menu bar.

1. Convert Text to Outlines.  This converts text from a font to a Path.  Once the text is converted it can still be ungrouped and individual letters rotated or moved, but Tracking and Vertical offset can no longer be used.  This option is mostly for editing the shape of the font characters.
2. Union.  Permanently joins two or more shapes or objects together.  This will remove any nodes or cut-lines that are inside the filled area (as seen with View/Show Outlines turned off).  It also works for fonts without converting them first.
   
3. Intersection.  Results in only the area where the objects overlap.  You can use this on exactly two objects.
   
4. Exclude.  Opposite of Intersection.  Any areas where the objects overlap are removed.  You can only use this on exactly two Paths.  This allows you to create frames and weld other objects to the inside of them or create intertwined rings like the Olympic circles or joined wedding rings.
   
5. Front Minus Back.  This  a good way to remove part of an object.  You need exactly two paths for this.  Think of the back object as a mask or cookie cutter.   The area where the upper and lower objects overlap is removed from the front object, and the bottom object disappears.  In my examples the blue square is in front of the red circle.
   
6. Back Minus Front.  This is just like Path/Difference in Inkscape.  The area where the upper and lower objects overlap is removed from the bottom object, and the top object disappears.  In my examples the blue square is in front of the red circle.
   

The other two vector tools are in the toolbar.  They are the Node editor and the Drawing tool.

The Node editor lets you move nodes either one at a time by clicking on them, or selecting several by either holding down the shift key while clicking or drawing a box around the nodes.  Either way they can be moved by clicking and dragging the selected nodes to the desired location.  The nodes are the squares and the handles are circles.  The nodes turn blue when selected, and the surrounding handles become visible and can be moved to adjust the curve.  At this point I didn’t see a way to turn a straight line into a curve since they didn’t have visible handles and the lines themselves can’t be changed directly.

The Drawing tool lets you create freehand shapes much like the Bezier tool in Inkscape (or the Pen tool in Illustrator).  You can create a straight line that will cut a single time, but when I tried a curved line it still cut with an extra straight line between the endpoints two out of five times.  Simply press enter to end the drawing as an open line.

You can also add or delete nodes from existing shapes with this tool.  Simply click on nodes with this tool to delete the nodes.  Hover the tool over the line where you want to add a node and click when the plus sign next to the cursor turn bold.

Inkscape Path operations explained – Part 2

This is the second half of the Inkscape Path operations.   I will discuss #1-6 in the image below.  See this post for the other Path operations.  Objects don’t need to be converted to Path before Inset, Outset, or Offset operations, but will automatically be converted during Inset and Outset (but not Offset).

1. Inset.  This will inset or make thinner the selected objects.  This will be done at a fixed amount.  Repeat as needed for the desired look.
   
2. Outset.  This will outset or make larger the selected objects.  This one will also be done at a fixed amount, but can be repeated for the desired look.
   
3. Dynamic Offset.  This is similar to inset and outset, except the amount is controlled by how much the handle is moved.  Also, the handle  can be moved in or out for an inset or outset.  This tends to round corners more than Outset.  You must convert this to Path for cutting.  See this tutorial at Cutting Time for more information on Dynamic Offset.
   
4. Linked Offset.  This is like Dynamic Offset, except it creates a duplicate of the original Object.  The original object is not changed and a new object is created.  Very useful for creating mats behind words or multi-piece artwork since you can edit the original artwork and the Linked Offset will change with it.  Changing the original object with an active Linked Offset can be a little more demanding on your computer’s resources if you are using an older computer.  The Linked Offset needs to be converted to Path for cutting.   If the original was unconverted text, that will also need to be converted to Path for cutting.  I changed the color of the linked offset in the image below for visibility.
   
5. Simplify.  This will reduce the amount of nodes in a vector.  It tends to distort corners, so use with caution.  If you are creating artwork from separate pieces that form corners, helps to combine the pieces, simplify, then Path/Union.  Each time simplification (Control L) is repeated within 0.5 seconds, the simplification gets more aggressive.  Also, the more nodes present, the more aggressive the simplification will be.  The severity of simplification can be adjusted using the Inkscape Preferences (from the File menu).
   
6. Reverse.  This reverses the direction of the Path.  Useful for Text on Path or Pattern on Path to change the direction of the text or pattern.